This invention relates to plant growth. More specifically this invention relates to a method and assembly of radiating plants to enhance photosynthesis.
It is well known in the art that during the photosynthesis process plants absorb different frequencies of light to cause photosynthesis to occur. In particular photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is radiation in the spectral range from approximately 400 nanometers (nm) to 700 nm. Also known in the art is that chlorophyll, the most abundant plant pigment and the pigment responsible for plant metabolism is most efficient at capturing red and blue light.
During photosynthesis the chlorophyll pigments in a plant absorb photons in order to drive a metabolic process and dissipate other energy within the photons. Simultaneously other pigments that are red/farred and blue/UV-A and UV-B photosensors or photoreceptors chemically react to adjust the behavior and development of the plant. Thus, by providing red and blue spectrum light, plants have been shown to grow at increased rates.
In addition, also known in the art is that plants need turn over, or time in the dark. In particular, when a pigment has accepted a photon and is going through the metabolic process, the pigment cannot accept additional photons. Still, when additional photons bombard the plant the pigments will continue to attempt to metabolize thus straining or fatiguing the plant. Specifically photoinhibition is the phenomenon of the light induced reduction in the photosynthetic capacity of the plant—light-induced damage to PSII. Photosystem II is damaged by light irrespective of light intensity, with the quantum yield of the damaging reaction (in typical leaves of higher plants) in the range of 10-8 to 10-7. One PSII complex is damaged for every 10-100 million photons that are intercepted and therefore photoinhibition occurs at all light intensities and the rate constant of photoinhibition is directly proportional to the fluence or radiant exposure of the plant measured in Joules per meter^2. The efficiency of photo electron transfer decreases markedly only when the rate of damage exceeds the rate of its repair which requires PSII protein synthesis.
Secondary damage occurs when the photosynthetic apparatus absorbs photons that cannot be efficiently utilized in the process of oxygen production or CO2 fixation. The energy of excess photons is dissipated by non-assimilatory photochemistry, the extent of which is expected to increase linearly with light intensity beyond the capacity of the photosynthetic complex. Excess photons generate oxidative stress by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS). In low light levels, the level of ROS can be reduced to supportable levels by antioxidative systems that include ROS-scavenging enzymes (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase) and multiple antioxidants (β-carotene, α-tocopherol). However, the production of ROS is accelerated and high levels of ROS cause significant oxidative stress. ROS does not accelerate photo damage to PSII but instead inhibits repair of the PSII.